New American Standard Bible 1995

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2 Samuel

15

:

11

Then two hundred men went with Absalom from Jerusalem, who were invited and went innocently, and they did not know anything.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
Then two hundred hundred Noun H3967 מָאתַ֤יִם ma·ta·yim
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016 

men man Noun H376 אִישׁ֙ ish
went to go, come, walk Verb H1980 הָלְכ֞וּ ha·le·chu
with Absalom "my father is peace," two Isr. Noun H53 אַבְשָׁלֹ֗ום av·sha·lo·vm
from Jerusalem, probably "foundation of peace," capital city of all Isr. Noun H3389 מִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם mi·ru·sha·lim,
Analysis:
Read more about: Jerusalem
who were invited to call, proclaim, read Verb H7121 קְרֻאִ֖ים ke·ru·'im
and went to go, come, walk Verb H1980 וְהֹלְכִ֣ים ve·ho·le·chim
innocently, completeness, integrity, also part of the high priest's breastplate Noun H8537 לְתֻמָּ֑ם le·tum·mam;
and they did not know to know Verb H3045 יָדְע֖וּ ya·de·'u
anything. the whole, all Noun H3605 כָּל־ kol-

Locations

Jerusalem

JERUSALEMje-roo'-sa-lem:I. THE NAME1. In Cuneiform2. In Hebrew3. In Greek and Latin4. The Meaning of Jerusalem5. Other NamesII. GEOLOGY, CLIMATE AND SPRINGS1. Geology2. Climate and Rainfall3. The Natural SpringsIII. THE NATURAL SITE1. The Mountains Around2. The Valleys3. The HillsIV. GENERAL TOPOGRAPHY OF JERUSALEM1. Description of Josephus2. Summary of the... View Details

Parallel Verses

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New American Standard Bible 1995 Then two hundred men went with Absalom from Jerusalem, who were invited and went innocently, and they did not know anything.
King James Bible Then And with Absalom went two hundred men went with Absalom from out of Jerusalem, who that were invited and went innocently, called; and they did went in their simplicity, and they knew not know anything.any thing.
Hebrew Greek English Then two hundred men went with Absalom from Jerusalem, who were invited and went innocently, and they did not know anything.